Boys who learn to suppress their emotions can become stoic men.Researchhas found that male stoicism (or closedness to feelings) can be linked to relational problems. This trait of stoicism correlates to lower psychological wellbeing. Even worse, stoicism affects a person’s attitude towards seeking mental health care. This essentially means that a child with suppressed emotions of sadness is much more likely to have psychological issues in adulthood (such as depression) and will have a harder time asking for help because they perceive asking for help as a negative, and potentially more feminine quality.

“Problems we think of as typically male (e.g. difficulty with intimacy, workaholism, alcoholism, abusive behavior, rage) may be attempts to escape depression. Unfortunately, their attempts to escape this pain may hurt the people they love the most, and they often pass their conditions on to their children. “

– Erford & Hays, 2018

Join us for our next post in our “Let Boys Cry” series where we discuss healthy ways for parents to support their crying sons.